"Diagon Ally isn't too bad of a place to shop" Anita thought as she wandered down a winding road. She stared in wonder at the buildings all around her, and she had the look of a child in a theme park about her as she gazed across the street to a window full of brooms.
"That's the one I want!" she yelled to Kingsley Shacklebolt as she darted across the road. She stopped short of the glass window with her nose about two inches from the glass. Inside there was a firebolt floating in the display as new and as wonderful as ever. Anita imagined soaring faster than anyone thought she was capable of above the trees, into the clouds, and back down in the most breathtaking and daring move- the wronski feint.
"You realize it's doubtful you will make the house quidditch team the first year you are in Hogwarts. I know your in your in your sixth year of actual schooling, but you are still new to Hogwarts." Anita did not remove her gaze from the firebolt, but she did consider all that Kingsley had just said. He was right in that she may have a slight disadvantage being from a school in Salem, and totally new to Hogwarts, but she could at least still try out. Her parents were somewhere fighting against the darkest of lords, Voldemort. They had sent her to Hogwarts to be near Dumbledore who could keep her safe within the walls of the magical castle. Anita knew not what had become of her parents, or whether she would ever see them again. She could vividly remember that dim night when the Carnahan family sneakily left there huge house in Salem and traveled by boat on a long stormy journey to England. Floo powder was too dangerous. Voldemort could not have any possible way of knowing where her family went. or the consequences could be a disaster. Anita did not know where her parents went. She could do nothing about that . Waiting and worrying would do no good either, so she decided she would do one thing she was capable of : playing quidditch. And she decided she would play harder than she ever had before.
"I will try out for whatever house's team I am sorted into. I want that broom and my parents have given me plenty of money to buy it. " She waltzed into the shop not waiting to see if her escort would follow. He didn't. Kingsley waited outside scowling at the thought that a family could be so rich that buying a brand new firebolt had no more of an effect than grocery shopping. He thanked all that was good that at least this girl was bearable. Dumbledore had made him feel very insignificant when his next assignment in the fight against Voldemort was to protect (or rather a fancy way of saying baby sit) this sixteen year old transfer as they school shopped in Diagon alley. He tried to guess what all the fuss was about, she seemed perfectly capable of getting around here by herself.
Anita came out holding a long package in her right hand. The smile on her face of genuine excitement. "Like a child," thought Kingsley. She seemed to have an aura about her that was simply more innocent and childlike than most who have lived in such times. Maybe she could brighten up some of the other student's spirits when they went to Grimmauld place later. She might be a remedy for them.
"I want to stop in here and get something to drink. Is that all right with you?" She asked looking over her shoulder just before entering the Leaky Cauldron.
"Yeah, just make it fast. We are going to have to be ....well you know where before lunch. Otherwise we will have a very worried Molly Weasley. I do not want to work her up into a frenzy." Anita didn't know who Molly Weasley was, but the tone In Kingsley's voice when he talked about her reminded her of the way her friends back in Salem would talk about their mothers. She continued going through the creaking door. Intending to find something quick to cool her off she took off her dark blue robe and was left wearing only a lighter blue summer dress. She sat on a stool and glanced curiously around for a menu of some sort. This futile effort only left her looking ridiculous as she slumped onto the stool in front of the counter. Kingsley walked off while calling
"I'll be right back. I need to go talk to someone who works here. It's ministry business." She felt a presence sit in a stool next to her, but she assumed it was Kingsley. Then while still staring into her lap she heard a voice come from behind the counter,
"Ahh Mr. Potter, how are you today?"
"Fine," said the voice next to her in a not so convincing tone. Anita looked over at the being next to her and discovered this person was a boy about her age who looked oddly familiar. She pondered over whether or not she had seen him before and decided that somewhere she had. She watched as the person working behind the counter, who also seemed to know the boy gave him what he called "the regular" Then he came over to her and asked,
"Now Miss what can I get you?" She stared sort of blankly.
"Uhh...." was all that came out. Anita was horrified at her inability to speak. she really was just ignorant about anything to be had in this dark and sort of old place. It looked as if the beams holding up the walls would at any minute crack in half and the building would cave in on top of them.
"This your first time in Diagon alley?" asked the friendly person behind the counter.
"Yeah.." she answered uncertainty easily detected in her answer
"Well, then you might want to just try one of these. " He walked behind a door and came out with the same green substance the person next to her was now sipping quietly with an almost solemn and a very tired expression on his face. She stared down into the green liquid and watched a golden shimmering circle around the glass in a whirlpool. She bravely lifted the glass to her lips and gulped down some of it. It tasted quite pleasant to her bewilderment, and she began to take another drink. She nearly choked though when Kingsley's voice rang out through the room surprising her.
"Harry! What are you doing in here alone? Where is Molly and everyone else?"
Anita was even more confused at the fact that Kingsley was talking to the boy next to her. she noted that his name was Harry. "wait, the person who served them had just called him Mr. Potter. that means... this boy is the legend I have heard about my entire life." she realized. He wasn't at all what she expected. He seemed normal, as normal as she was. And he had floppy hair and glasses. She didn't even notice his scar or look for it, as it was covered with that black mane anyways. He began to answer Kingsley,
They have all gone to look for a new broom for Ginny. I didn't feel like going,so I came to wait over here."
"Have you met Anita?" Kingsley pointed to the Blonde haired girl sitting on the stool in her blue summer dress. Harry shook his head then looked over to Anita.
"Are you the transfer?"
"Yeah," she answered. "I really like Diagon alley. It's simply delightful to walk down the street."
"Yeah, it is," responded Harry,not nearly as excited about it as Anita. Kingsley broke into the conversation,
"We should probably get moving and find Molly. It's nice to have an American around. It's proof that wizards of all kinds are coming together and becoming allies. If we come together it is likely that we can all help each other and defeat Lord Voldemort." None of the three so much as blinked an eye at the sound of the name. The left the leaky and creaking building together and returned to the broom shop where Molly Weasley was waiting for Ginny to choose the most affordable but quality broom.